An Auckland grandfather has been charged with allowing his 7-year-old grandson to drive, along with a raft of other driving charges including drink driving.

Tehere Maihi Maaka, 49, appeared in the Auckland District Court on Thursday charged with dangerous driving, driving with excess breath alcohol and allowing his grandson to drive on a public road on January 18.

Court documents showed the Mt Roskill resident “intentionally engaged in conduct” allowing the boy to drive the vehicle, which it said was “a major departure from the standard of care to be expected of a reasonable person”.

Maaka – a storeperson – was charged with dangerous driving after he was pulled over on Quona Ave at 12.30pm - about 500m from his house.

Though the child was found behind the wheel when the car was pulled over, a police source said for Maaka to be charged with drink driving and careless driving, he would have to have been driving at some stage.

When breath tested, Maaka blew 1059 microgrammes of alcohol per litre of breath; nearly three times the legal limit.

Maaka was remanded on bail without plea until next month when he is due to re-appear in the court.